AITC TAKE PART IN FESTIVAL OF SPORT EVENT

Players and coaches from Albion in the Community’s inclusive football sessions took part in an event to celebrate the Premier League and BT’s disability programme.

The representatives from AITC travelled to the Stoke Mandeville Stadium in Aylesbury last week for the Festival of Sport event.

They tried a range of different sports, including athletics, boccia and basketball, had their photograph taken with the Premier League trophy, and met BT presenters Abi Griffiths and Jake Humphrey.

The Festival of Sport was held to celebrate the first successful year of the Premier League and BT’s partnership.

The three-year Premier League and BT disability programme aims to use sport to inspire people with a disability and will see the organisations work together to provide funding to Premier League clubs to create more opportunities for people with a disability across England and Wales.

Since the Premier League and BT disability programme was launched at the London Stadium last September, clubs have engaged more than 10,000 people.

Here in Sussex, AITC runs more than 25 regular inclusive football sessions across the county, and players from a number of those sessions travelled to the Festival of Sport.

Nick Perchard, head of community, Premier League, added, “The Festival of Sport was designed to bring together the inspiring individuals from clubs who have been taking part in disability sessions over the past season, to share their stories and experiences, whilst also trying a range of different sports.

“The event has been the perfect way to celebrate the first year of the partnership with BT and to showcase the great inclusive work that clubs are delivering week-in-week-out. I look forward to seeing how this programme continues to develop over the next two years.”